Most Likely to Speed Date: Karen Ivanis-Rogers, Senior Director of Ventures, Albertsons
🤝 Most Likely to Speed Date: Karen Ivanis-Rogers, Senior Director of Ventures, Albertsons
Few CPG investment operations have kept themselves shrouded in mystery as much as the Albertsons business ventures team, which for about a decade (since the Safeway days!) has backed and advised emerging brands while also helping them set up with the potential for an inside track within the massive grocery chain. For most of that time, Karen Ivanis-Rogers and her co-conspirator, Jim Foltz, kept their cards and checks close to the vest, lest any competing retailers find out about their 20-plus equity stakes and try to spoil the party for their brands.
But in the past two years, following the pandemic, Albertsons’ Ventures team has tried a new tack: recruitment. Starting with Expo West 2023, Ivanis-Rogers has taken point on the massive Innovation Launchpad Competition – pulling in hundreds of applicants for a spot at a high-value, high-advice showdown, one that gets brands into prime position for distribution under Albertsons banners. Given the sheer number of brands applying, she’s got quite the full dance card.